Breaker Great At Newbury

Border Breaker ran out a ready winner of the boys' race at Newbury yesterday under another finely judged front running ride from Michael Heard.  They appeared to score with a bit in hand and our improving six year old could go to Hexham on Tuesday where he would escape a penalty.  You just need two tankful's of diesel to get you there!  Also at Newbury, I thought that Willem ran much better as well yesterday to finish fourth in a decent handicap hurdle and it is good to see David's horses continuing to run well as they have all season long.

There is a cracking afternoon of racing action to look forward to with five jumps cards from Newbury, Kelso, Bangor, Fontwell and Stratford.  The stable is represented today by Twentytwo's Taken, Amigo and Classical Art at Newbury, Home Run at Fontwell and Alezanna at Stratford.  Home Run finished a good third last time out at Newbury and runs from the same handicap mark of 125 and a similar level of form would put him right in the thick of things.  Meanwhile Twentytwo's Taken (pictured above) looks a most progressive mare who won impressively last time out at Exeter - she competes in the Listed Mares' EBF hurdle and is another with leading claims with the step up in trip likely to suit.  It is an extremely competitive race with the bookmakers going 7/1 the field!  It seems that all the pundits in the Racing Post are tipping our mare so make sure you take an early price as I can only see her price getting shorter.

Many happy returns to one of Martin's former stable jockeys, Paul Leach who is 61 today.  You may remember that Paul rode Martin's first Cheltenham Festival winner back in 1981 when Baron Blakeney won the Triumph Hurdle - you may also recall that Paul was so confident, he threw his whip away halfway up the run-in!  Happy birthday Paul - we hope you have a great day.

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It will be interesting to see how quickly Dick Advcaat has organised the Sunderland defence when they take on my beloved West Ham this afternoon.  If they suddenly improve, it shows that the players were not putting it in for former manager Gus Poyet.  It is the players who get the managers sacked.

The big game tomorrow is between Liverpool and Manchester United so you know where I will be...sat in front of the television!  You can back Liverpool at odds against and I am sure Terry Neill will be cheering the Scousers on!

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If you play in the six nations rugby you will receive £91,000 - while it is a nice little earner, it is worth remembering that is not 1/3rd of Wayne Rooney's weekly wage!  Something doesn't seem right there to me.  My rugby expert mate tells me that England, Ireland and Wales are in with a good chance of lifting the trophy - I will take his word for that as I know next to nothing about the sport.  Rugby was only played by the posh schools when I was a lad in the East-end of London.

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The eclipse yesterday was fairly spectacular, although I was expecting it to get a little darker than it did.  I asked my mates in the betting shops if they knew about the eclipse and he told me it was held over 1m2f at Sandown!  I told you that he never leaves the bookies!  Have a nice day...

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